Automatic fire-escape.



H. P. YOUNG. I

AUTOMATIC FIRE ESCAPE.

AXfPLIOATION rILnn APR 24, 1906.

Pa tented Mar. 30, 1909.

Z/dnessea;

UNITED STATES HENRY P. YOUNG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-ESCAPE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of hifilwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire escapes, and more particularly to automatic fire escapes; the object being to provide a portable fire escape which is very simple and cheap in construction and one which is very effective in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic brake in connection with the fire escape so that the speed of descent will be automatically regulated.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for regulating the brakes so that the speed of descent can be regulated by the user.

\Vith these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification :Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fire escape artly broken away. Fig. 2 is an end view 0" my improved fire escape. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.

In the drawing A, indicates a frame provided with a bail A, adapted to fit over a hook B, secured in the window frame and support the same. The oblique members A of the frame are provided with apertured enlargements A, in which is mounted a shaft C, provided with a spring actuated reel D, carrying a cable E, the end of which is connected to a link F, of a belt F, adapted to be secured around the waist of the person and hold him securely while he is descending.

Mounted on the latform A, of the frame is a spring actuate grooved reel G, provided with a gear wheel II, adapted to mesh with a gear Wheel I, secured on the upper end of a threaded shaft I, mounted in a threaded o ening formed in an enlargement of the p atform A of the frame. Rods J, carrying coil-springs J, extend downwardly from the platform of the frame to each side of the threaded opening and are provided with brake shoes J at their ends adapted to be held into engagement with the rims of the reel by the springs J so that the reel will be prevented from rotating fast. A cross bar 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1906.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Serial No. 313,43

K, is mounted on the rods J, provided with a central opening K, through which the shaft I, is adapted to pass.

A head I is secured to the lower end of the shaft I, carrying balls I, and rovided with a recess 1, in which is mounted a spring actuated pin 1", ada ted to engage a s iral groove K formed in the under side of t 1e cross-bar K, around the opening K, for the purpose hereinafter described. An arm L, is mounted on a shaft M, in the frame having a forked end L, adapted to straddle the shaft I, on the bar Ii, and increase the pressure of the springs J, against the brake shoes J when pulled down by the cable E, which passes over a pulley L carried by the arm L.

A cable N, is secured to the grooved pulley G and passes once or twice around the same, and )asses down over a pulley O, mounted on the frame having its other end passed through an eye in an arm F of the belt I and is adapted to extend. to the ground, so that the cog wheel can be revolved when desired by pulling on the cable so as to regulate the pressure of the springs against the brake shoes.

The 0 eration is as follows: The bail of the frame is ooked over the hook of the windowframe and the belt is then secured on the body of the erson, who lets himself out of the window, iis weight on the cable causing it to unwind from the reel against the action of thespring, and at the same time the arm will be pulled down by the weight of the person, causing the shoes to engage the rim of the reel allowing the person to descend at a moderate rate of speed. If the person wishes to descend faster, he pulls on the cable carried by the reel, which causes the shaft passin through the cross bar to turn and release the tension of the springs on the shoes, which will cause the rate of descent to increase. The speed will continue to increase until the pin carried by the head has traveled to the end of the spiral groove in the cross bar, which will lock the shaft against rotation thereby preventing the cross bar from being lifted off the spring any further so that the person in the belt will descend at a predetermined speed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a fire escape, the combination with a frame provided with a spring actuated reel, of a cable carried by said reel, brake shoes adapted to engage said reel operated by the cable, a shaft for relieving the pressure of said brake shoes, a gear fixed to the shaft, a reel carryin a cable mounted on said frame and a gear carried by the last mentioned reel engagin the gear of the shaft.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination With a frame provided with a reel carrying a cable provided with a belt, of rods mounted on said frame, carrying coil-springs and provided With brake shoes, a cross bar mounted on said rods, and an arm pivoted to the frame bearing on said crossbar, provided With a pulley over which the said cable passes, for the purpose described.

3. In a device of the kind described, the combinationwvith a frame provided With a pulley, of rods mounted in said frame, springs arranged on said rods, a cross bar mounted on said rod provided With an opening, surrounded by a spiral roove on its under side, brake shoes mounted on said rods, threaded shaft mounted in said frame passing through said opening in said bar, a head secured to the loWer end of said shaft provided With a spring actuated pin adapted to en age the spiral groove of said bar, a gear Wheel secured to the upper end of said shaft, a reel mounted V on said frame provided With a gear Wheel meshing with said gear Wheel, and a cable connected to said reel, for the purpose described.

In a device of the kind described, the combination With a frame provided with a reel carrying a cable, spring actuated brake shoes carried by said frame, a bar adapted to engage the spring of the shoes, provided With a central opening, an arm pivoted to said frame bearing on said bar, a pulley carried by said bar over which the cable passes, a threaded shaft passing through said bar mounted in said frame provided With a head adapted to engage said bar and means for rotating said shaft, for the purpose described.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a frame provided With a reel carrying a cable, of spring actuated brake shoes adapted to engage said pulley, a bar mounted on the spring of the shoes, an arm provided With a pulley pivoted to said frame bearing on said bar, the cable of the reel passing over said pulley and a screw carried by the frame provided With a head adapted to engage the bar arranged on the springs of the shoes, for the purpose described.

HENRY P. YOUNG. /Vitnesses JIM P. LARSON, JNo. R. FITZPATRIOK. 

